Facebook introduced the ability to create watchlists several years ago as a way for users to bookmark videos they wanted to watch later. However, Facebook has made several changes to the platform since then, and the watchlist feature has become harder to find. If you’re wondering where your Facebook watchlist went, here’s a quick guide to help you locate it.
Watchlists vs Saved
Before we dive into where your watchlist is, it’s important to understand the difference between Facebook Watchlists and Saved posts/videos. When you add a video to your Watchlist, it is specifically set aside for you to watch later. Facebook describes watchlists as a “playlist for videos you want to watch but don’t have time for right now.”
On the other hand, Saving a video simply bookmarks it to your Saved posts/videos collection. This is a place to store content you want to reference later, but not necessarily watch. So in summary:
- Watchlist – for videos to watch later
- Saved – for posts/videos to reference later
Where to find your Facebook Watchlist
Now that we’ve clarified the difference between Watchlists and Saved items, let’s look at where your Watchlist is located:
- Open the Facebook app on your mobile device or navigate to Facebook.com on a computer.
- Click on the Menu icon (3 horizontal lines) in the top right corner.
- Select “Saved” from the menu.
- On the Saved screen, select the “Watchlist” tab at the top.
This will display all of the videos you’ve added to your Watchlist. You can scroll through and play any video you want to view later. The Watchlist makes it easy to queue up content to watch without having to search for it again later.
How to Add Videos to Your Watchlist
Now that you know where to find it, let’s go over how to add videos to your Facebook Watchlist:
- While browsing videos on Facebook, click on the 3 dots “More” menu next to a video.
- Select “Add to Watchlist” from the dropdown menu.
- This adds the video to your queue of content to watch later.
You can also add videos to your Watchlist from the video player screen:
- Tap the More icon (3 vertical dots) in the bottom right corner while a video is playing.
- Choose “Add to Watchlist” to save it.
Videos added to your Watchlist will remain there until you decide to remove them. To delete a video, go to your Watchlist and click the X icon next to any video to remove it.
Pinning Videos in Your Watchlist
In addition to a regular Watchlist, Facebook also gives you the option to “Pin” up to 10 videos. Pinned videos will always remain at the top of your Watchlist for easy access. To pin a video:
- Go to your Watchlist.
- Hover over a video thumbnail and click the Pushpin icon.
- This pins it to the top of your queue.
You can reorder pinned videos by dragging and dropping them. To unpin a video, simply click the Pushpin again. Pinned videos make it easy to prioritize must-watch content at the top of your Watchlist.
Benefits of Using Watchlists
Some of the benefits of using Facebook Watchlists include:
- Queues up content to view later – don’t have to search again to find videos you want to watch.
- Lets you save and organize videos to watch in a playlist.
- Pinned videos keep your top priorities at the top of your Watchlist.
- Available across mobile and desktop – sync your Watchlist on all devices.
- Helps you stay organized and focused on content you really care about.
Troubleshooting Missing Watchlists
In some cases, your Facebook Watchlist may disappear or become inaccessible. Here are some things to check if you can’t find your Watchlist:
Make sure you have the latest version of Facebook
Facebook is constantly updating their mobile apps and desktop site. Make sure you have installed the latest version of the Facebook app on your phone or refreshed your browser if using Facebook on desktop. Older versions may not have full access to the Watchlist feature.
Check your settings and privacy
Ensure that you have not disabled access to your Saved items in Facebook’s Settings and Privacy menus. Go to Settings > Privacy > Manage Feature Access and make sure “Saved and Watchlist” is enabled.
Report issues to Facebook
If your Watchlist is still missing, try reporting the problem directly to Facebook. Tap the 3 horizontal lines menu > Help & Support > Report a Problem. Select “Saved and Watchlist” as the issue and provide details to help Facebook troubleshoot.
Log out and log back in
As a last resort, try fully logging out of Facebook and logging back in. This will refresh your session and may restore access to missing features like Watchlists.
Using Watchlists on Pages You Manage
Facebook Page owners can also create Watchlists to save videos for their business or organization. As a Page admin, you can add videos to a Watchlist to queue up content to share later. Here’s how:
- Navigate to your Page’s profile.
- Click “Videos” in the left menu.
- Hover over a video and click the 3 dots icon > Add to Watchlist.
- Manage Watchlists from the drop-down menu > Watchlists.
This provides an organized way for Page managers to plan and schedule upcoming video posts. You can also get analytics on how videos in your Watchlist are performing to identify the best content to promote.
Benefits of Watchlists for Facebook Pages
- Plan and organize your Page’s video strategy.
- Analyze video metrics before sharing to your audience.
- Schedule videos in advance to post later.
- Collaborate with other admins by sharing Watchlists.
- Ensure you always have great videos ready to share.
Conclusion
Facebook Watchlists provide a useful way to save and organize videos to watch later. While the location has changed over time, Watchlists are still available on both mobile and desktop by tapping the Saved menu. Add videos using the 3 dots “More” menu and pin your top picks to always stay at the top of your queue.
Keep your Watchlist updated with fresh content so you always have great videos ready to go. It’s a handy feature that ensures you never miss any must-see Facebook videos.